When Courtney Fry steps into the ring at York Hall in Bethnal Green tonight, he will provide stark testimony to the boxing credo that you don't always get what you deserve, but you do get what you negotiate.

Not that boxing three rounds against the little-known Welsh light-heavyweight Shon Davies in Barry Hearn's Prizefighter series represents a demeaning experience. Far from it.

The shows, whose ratings are three times those of some of Sky's regular fight nights, have been hugely popular and have led to bigger things for some winners, notably the unbeaten Belfast taxi driver Martin 'The Entertainer' Rogan, who beat Audley Harrison to earn a fight with Matt Skelton for the Commonwealth heavyweight title in Birmingham next weekend.

It is just that Fry, a cultured technician with a decent punch and good all-round skills, might have expected to be a bit further along in his career nine years after representing his country (alongside Harrison) at the Sydney Olympics.

He went into those Games as the Commonwealth champion and his future looked bright, but he went out in the first round, losing 16–3 to Charles Adamu. While the Ghanaian went on to make a decent fist of his professional career at super-middleweight, taking Carl Froch the distance in losing his shot at the Commonwealth title in 2004, Fry didn't turn over until 2003.

Since then, he has lost only once in 13 paid starts but, remarkably, is yet to move beyond the undercard. He boxed five times for Harrison's A-Force Promotions, as well as various other promoters, but never contested even an area title. Harrison, on the other hand, has earned millions – certainly far more than his recent performances might suggest he is worth, and that has largely been down to his business acumen.

Fry, nevertheless, is the betting favourite in a strong field tonight and this might be his last chance to show how good he is. He should account for Davies, 11 years younger and a 25–1 outsider. If he wins, he meets the winner of the bout between the former British, WBU and Commonwealth champion Tony Oakey and the unbeaten 32-year-old from Sheffield, Billy Boyle.

Competing for the other semi-final place are Bob Ajisafe from Darlington against Carl Dilks of Liverpool (both unbeaten), and Darren Stubbs from Oldham against Suffolk's Steve Spartacus.

The series has been a useful and intriguing diversion for fighters outside the radar of the big time. The format is a real throwback – short, hectic contests that throw up one winner at the end of the night – and Hearn brings his particular brand of enthusiasm to the project. He describes it as, "without doubt the best idea that has come into boxing in the 25 years I've been promoting".

For Fry, it is the only idea worth contemplating at the moment.

Khan faced with Morales prospect

Amir Khan could be one win away from challenging for the WBO lightweight title – but he may find the once formidable Erik Morales blocking his way.

If the Bolton boxer beats Marco Antonio Barrera in Manchester on 14 March he will inherit the Mexican's position as mandatory challenger for the title, which will be contested by Juan Manuel Márquez and Juan Díaz if they can agree terms.

The developments follow Nate Campbell's failure to make the weight against Ali Funeka last weekend. The WBO stripped Campbell of the title, and gave Oscar De La Hoya's promotional company, Golden Boy Promotions, 180 days to arrange a fight between Márquez and Díaz. However, a report yesterday that Morales is making a comeback, and wants it to be against Márquez or Barrera, complicates matters.

It will be a tough sell for the little man from Tijuana, who will forever be remembered for three dramatic fights against Manny Pacquiao. He is 32 and hasn't boxed since August 2007, when David Díaz outpointed him in a WBC lightweight title fight. It was Morales's fourth straight defeat, two of those by stoppage against Pacquiao. He also fought Barrera three times, winning one and losing twice.

"I want to return to boxing soon," Morales told Fightnews.com, "but against a good opponent. We have spoken with the people of Golden Boy Promotions to do the fight against Márquez, but have arrived at nothing concrete. I believe that I have a lot left and I want to go two years more at the maximum to try to win a fourth title at a different weight and to be the first Mexican do it."

If any lightweight deserves a shot at the title it is surely Colombia's Breidis Prescott, who so spectacularly shunted Khan into the sidings in one round in Manchester last year. He is not doing it quite as tough as Fry, but neither is he in danger of being blinded by the limelight.

The unbeaten knockout specialist from Barranquilla has his first fight since unsettling Khan when he goes against Humberto Toledo in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, tonight. Mr Toledo, whose ring name, disappointingly, is not 'Holy' but 'Bam Baby', is a super-featherweight of indeterminate age from Ecuador who has won 34 times, lost five and drawn twice in a career that started 11 years ago.